


Letter To The Firm

by honeymink



Category: Alias
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-26 23:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeymink/pseuds/honeymink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In due time, they probably see the apple sour...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letter To The Firm

“What the fuck happened to you, girl? Shit, your ass used to be beautiful!” she thought, staring at her reflection in the tarnished mirror before she took more Provacillium.

At the moment of death it hadn’t come to her as a surprise: There was no beckoning white light at the end of the tunnel, no warm fuzzy feeling that her long departed loved ones were waiting on The Other Side. Probably because she had just learned that her parents weren’t dead after all.

So what she had experienced instead was a little voice piping up in an outraged tone, “Oh come on. You’re not serious. What did all that shit happen for?”

Mostly, she had regretted not eating more of that coffee ice cream when she had the chance. She knew she couldn’t ask for that now. Not after she had screwed up like she did.

They had brought her back from the dead though, and that was more than she could have hoped for. After all, one couldn’t possibly expect a raise after almost killing their employers’ daughter and she knew that.

 

 _Dear Sir and Madam,  
After all those years under your employment, it’s the first time I need to ask you to please accept my apologies for any inconvenience which may have been caused by... the incident. Anything I can do to resolve this problem will be happily arranged upon your request.  
Sincerely  
A.G. Doren_

 

But somehow that didn’t sound quite right.

 

***

“Don't be scared. They're just shit with feet,” she told herself, when she heard someone entering the room next door.

It was stuffy and claustrophobic in that tiny space they had locked her in. The window didn’t open and mould made the paper come off the wall. The sound of the TV blared over from the other room. A Russian version of “Who wants to be a millionaire”. Good Lord, as if their currency was worth a thing.

All in all, this was super shabby accommodation. It made her question the sense in being a badass terrorist if they couldn’t afford anything better at the end of the day. But maybe they were just cheap. Or those were Irina’s economising countermeasures to Julian’s extravagant tendencies. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t find out now. But she might find out what they had planned for her, if she just listened carefully.

So she did. Closing her eyes she could imagine Jack Bristow’s lips pressed to a thin line until he finally spoke with that demanding voice: “Why is she still alive?”

 _Excellent questions for 500. Jack: Why is Allison Doren still alive? Is it (a) because she is fun to hang out with or (b) because she has a great sense of humour or (c) because her recipe for bouillabaisse is so swell?_

A husky chuckle turned into a refractory cough. She really craved a cigarette now.

“We need her to brief Lauren Reed,” she heard Irina say, obviously picking a soothing tone to appease him.

And she clenched her jaw. It had to be expected, still that didn’t protect her from experiencing bitterness now. Briefing a new person. That was all there was. Not because she had been a loyal agent, eager to please, in the past.

 

 _Dear Sir and Madam,  
Unfortunately there seems to have been an error. I was rather surprised to receive information from a third party that I’m indeed no orphan, but that you kidnapped me as a six year old. You used and abused me mentally and physically for more than twenty years and made me think I owed you, for giving me a “home” within your organisation after my parents’ “demise”. But since you treat your own daughter almost equally badly, lying to her and exploiting her – how could I have even considered that you’d stop at other people’s children, you sick pathetic fucks! I’m well fed up with your damn Rambaldi crap and I’m out. I’m so out of this silly game and that’s that. I quit!  
Francie Doren  
Allison Calfo_

 

But somehow that didn’t sound quite right either.

 

***

They had taught her to be polite and humble. They had taught her good manners and how to sit straight at the dinner table. Yet their faces were blurry, even when she closed her eyes and clenched them tight in concentration. Pictures got mixed up and it was hard to tell what was the truth and what was wishful thinking. Who knows, maybe even some things she had learned about Francie’s family ended up in there.

Sometimes she wished she hadn’t needed to stab Tippin. She had quickly skimmed through his report and found that he had called her mother. Allison wished she could have asked him what she sounded like.

But maybe she was lucky not to have parents putting pressure on her. Certainly she was lucky not to have parents involved in organised crime.

 

***

She met mother and daughter at Brautmoden Horn right across Royal Square.

“Miss Doren, your reputation precedes you!”

Affability was a feature, especially when found on bad people, that made her act reserved and cautious.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Reed,” she answered politely, sticking out her hand, but not very far because she wanted the woman to meet her more than halfway.

“Oh please, call me Olivia,” she said, smiling an insincere smile which Allison found very tiring. “Meet my daughter. Lauren? Darling! Come out and say hello to Miss Doren.”

Impatiently she banged against the door of the changing cubicle. A muffled sound could be heard from inside and Allison could tell the air was thick with annoyance. The corners of her mouth curled up into a tiny sarcastic smile. But then she could feel Olivia Reed’s look resting on her and immediately she took the sarcastic part away.

“You should know that this will be her first job for our organisation. So she may find any advice pretty useful,” Olivia continued.

Allison just nodded.

“I know what I’m doing, mother. I’m a trained NSA agent.”

The door opened. Pouting lips, pale skin, swollen parotid glands. Ladies and Gentlemen, the bride.

“Sure you are, sweetheart,” Olivia took on a slightly disapproving tone. “I’ll leave you two alone now, I have some errands to run.” Kisses left and right on the cheeks. “Also, not that dress, Lauren. Too much cleavage.” She took her daughter’s arm and turned her around. “And too tight around your arse.”

That sarcastic bit sneaked back into Allison’s smile.

 

***

Meanwhile, Lauren still stared at her reflection, looking up and down her body – obviously pleased with what she saw. Allison couldn’t help but feel envy. She looked away.

“Do you think he will like the dress?” Lauren asked softly, turning around and looking deeply in her eyes.

Irritated but also with a mocking expression on her face, Allison shrugged. Because it really didn’t matter and she couldn’t help but marvel at the whole stupid situation: After all, that pretty little doll who played dress-up in white talked about a guy she hadn’t even met yet. A guy she had to seduce and destroy. A guy she wouldn’t care about anyway. And there she was, asking silly questions. Totally brash and unprofessional. Moreover… what was with that look? That tremor in her gentle voice? Trying to be seductive already? On her? What the hell?!

And Allison was tempted to say just that. That it didn’t matter one damn bit what Michael Vaughn might be thinking. If anything, it mattered what Olivia Reed thought. And most of all, what kind of stupid bitch Lauren must be to willingly, eagerly even, join this sick game, while all she, Allison, wanted was to escape. But then, that would have been far too confidential.

Instead she looked right back at her, challenging. “Say, Lauren. Are you damn proud Mommy let you into that secret little terrorist club of hers?”

“I… I… don’t know what…” she stuttered, then paused and straightened her back. When she finally continued her voice was stable, yet quivering with a little accusatory undertone: “I must say, I thought you knew we’re on the same side here.”

“Sure,” Allison smiled because for a second there, she had almost fallen for Lauren’s line. “You know, you’re good.” Good enough for Vaughn anyway. “He won’t be able to tell.”

Lauren beamed at her, pleased by the change of subject. In a way, Allison thought, this wasn’t much different from normal girls gossiping about boys.

“Can you tell me how he is… you know… in bed?” she asked, blushing.

Again, Allison was impressed by Lauren’s act. And thinking about what she had just said, it became quite clear why she was so eager to do all this. Besides wanting to please her mother, Lauren needed a kick. Something to get off on. Something glamorous and dangerous. She probably mistook this for a James Bond movie, where espionage equalled sex. If it hadn’t been so sad, Allison would have laughed. One day Lauren Reed would find out for herself that it wasn’t effervescent powder she was dealing with but the real hard drugs and that wouldn’t be pretty. In any case that was something for which Allison wished to live long enough for to see.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine, Miss Reed,” she handed her the dossier she had put together, “just… don’t try so hard.”

For once Allison was serious and didn’t smile. But Lauren did, approaching her, coming too close, invading her private space, tucking a strand of dark hair behind Allison’s ear.

“I never try anything. I just do it. Wanna try me, Ally?”

“Sorry. I’m married to the firm, boo. You got to understand,” she replied with the mocking grin back in place, “besides, nobody makes me come the way I do.”

 

***

Half way down the stairs she met Olivia Reed again.

“Are you done yet?”

“I told her what she wanted to know,” Allison said after a moment of careful consideration.

And it was true. What she had told her might not have been necessarily what Lauren needed to know. But then, Allison wasn’t responsible for Lauren’s happy ending. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she could take care of her own.

“Very well. Where can we reach you in case more questions arise?”

“For the next two days, under this name and address,” Allison gave her the contact info.

Olivia Reed’s brows rose. “Souheila Andrawes? Don’t you think that alias is a bit… out of line given our current location?”

Those people had no sense of humour.

Allison just shook her head and laughed.

 

 _Dear Sir and Madam,  
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to prove my loyalty towards the firm. I took great comfort from my last assignment and very much hope you are satisfied with the results. Therefore I’m even more sorry to inform you that, with regards to further missions, my present schedule is unfortunately very inflexible.  
I’ll certainly let you know when that changes.  
Yours faithfully, Allison_

 

And finally that sounded quite right.

 

 **~Fin~**


End file.
